3. MIDDLE-INCOME PRESSURE The stress is not limited to low-income households. The St. Louis Fed noted that more middle-income families are turning to credit and short-term financing to stay afloat. “Community contacts report rising food pantry usage among both low- and middle-income households, growing reliance on ‘buy now, pay later’ services, and elevated credit card delinquency rates.” – St. Louis Fed(Cointelegraph)